Wednesday, January 24

Brussels Sprouts on Botox

It happens every Sunday. Clamoring crowds jostle for space around the popular tables at the farmers’ market to check out the hip Meyer lemons, the chic wild arugula, and the sexy red strawberries (yes Dad, we really did have fresh strawberries this past week).

Not so at the cruciferous vegetables table. There lie the Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbages, broccoli, and cauliflower (of which only the funky Romanesco variety is getting any attention). These uncomely vegetables patiently wait for someone to come by and check them out. It is a long wait.

This past Sunday the Brussels sprouts were carelessly dumped in a lop-sided pile, causing stray runaway sprouts to keep rolling off the table's edge and onto the concrete. Inspired by Molly’s witty post at Orangette, I thought I would take on a challenge. A makeover for three undatable vegetables: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli. The make-up? Breadcrumbs.

There aren’t many foods in Italian homes that don’t get egged and breadcrumbed to spectacular results. Vegetables from eggplant to zucchini, meats from chicken to veal, and seafood from calamari to smelts, when made with the right breadcrumbs, are brilliant in their simplicity and fabulous in their flavor. Fortunately, my mom and dad had recently sent me a fresh container of Buono’s Bakery breadcrumbs from Rhode Island.

Seriously. My parents actually ship me breadcrumbs.

Turns out that the closest place to get good breadcrumbs from my apartment in LA is exactly 2,970 miles away (I Google mapped it). We cannot get good breadcrumbs here. "You’re crazy!" you say. Nope. We’re not. We have lived in California for 3 ½ years; we have tried pounds of breadcrumbs. They just don't compare. Every time we got breadcrumbs, we would always say, "Well, they’re not as good as Buono’s." So we decided, why not have mom ship us some? And so it began. As you will learn from this blog, there are many things which are shipped from RI to CA, most of which originate from Federal Hill in Providence.
If you can’t get Buono’s breadcrumbs, you can:

1. Make them from scratch.
2. Use Panko breadcrumbs.
3. Ask my mom to send you some. Actually, don’t. She seriously would send them to you.

Today, I’ll share the Brussels sprouts recipe; the cauliflower and broccoli ones will follow shortly. To keep my meals low-cal and healthy, I don’t fry vegetables; I prefer to bake them in a hot oven or to sauté them with a little bit of olive oil or butter. While I often make Brussels sprouts with a maple syrup or brown sugar glaze, I love this lighter, cleaner version as well. Here, the sprouts are par-boiled then sautéed until blistered, browned, and slightly crunchy. The savory butter and garlic mellows the sprouts’ bitterness, and the citrus adds a tangy, bright touch. It’s a breeze to make, and with the right lighting and make-up, even Brussels sprouts can look pretty.

Peel off any marked outer leaves of the sprouts and trim the bottoms; slice in half. Boil for 3-4 minutes. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water; this will stop the cooking and maintain the sprouts' vibrant color.
To toast the breadcrumbs, place in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, while giving the pan handle a few shakes to toast the breadcrumbs evenly. Once they begin to turn golden, remove them from the heat and place in a bowl, as the heat from the pan will continue to toast them.

Meanwhile in a skillet over medium heat, sauté the garlic in the butter. Once the butter begins to bubble up and the garlic starts to jump a little, add the sprouts. Cook about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown spots start to appear on the sprouts. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Add the toasted breadcrumbs into the skillet and toss gently. Add more breadcrumbs on top before serving; sprinkle with lemon zest if desired.

Thanks for coming to my site--it led me to yours, which is pleasure to read! Brussels sprouts rule in our house. My husband adores them, a feeling I didn't share at the beginning of our relationship. But, now I love them too. Your pictures look so delicious! That's a great recipe.

Great pictures of your brussels sprouts -- they really do look pretty. However I have to admit that I have a rocky relationship with Brussels sprouts. The only way I ever eat them is steamed and then marinated in a vinaigrette with hot peppers. Sad, isn't it? And they look nowhere near as pretty as this.

The short stories preceding each recipe are a perfect intro toyour great recipes; Buono's bread crumbs are the best because they bake the best bread in the world. Induced me to buy a loaf of their bread to have with the oil from Cook and Ladder mentioned in a prior article. Dad

Okay, your picture of brussel sprouts actually makes them look good. I have never had a good brussel sprout in my life. I have tried over and over (well, not that often) and I just can't do it. I would have been at that fruit market, seen them and turned right on my heal. However I do like broccoli and cauliflower!

they call brussel sprouts 'martian brains' at my house...needless to say i don't cook them anymore! the picture of the strawberries looks so yummy...i sooo miss fresh strawberries, the smell of them makes me homesick. i grew up in salinas ca., and we had a few friends that worked in the strawberry fields and always brought us flats of berries, sometimes still warm from the sun.